Zebra Mussel Removal

The Zebra Mussel Problem

The Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force has called zebra mussels “devastating.” These tiny shellfish — sometimes smaller than a quarter or a penny — have caused billions of dollars in damages around the United States. Native to Eastern Europe in the Black and Caspian seas, they are now found across the United States. Hepure provides potassium permanganate in 25 kg drums (55.1 pounds) for mussel treatment applications.

Where They Came From — and How They Spread

Zebra and quagga mussels are freshwater bivalves native to the Black and Caspian seas; ocean water is actually toxic to them. They are believed to have arrived in North America around 1986 as stowaways in the freshwater ballast of vessels traveling from Europe. When that ballast was released into navigable rivers, the mussels found their way into the Great Lakes — and from there wreaked havoc on local ecosystems. They are now found in hundreds of water bodies across dozens of states.

Their spread is relentless because of two traits. First, reproduction: mature females typically produce 30,000 to 40,000 eggs per year — up to a million as they age. Second, mobility: the mussels cling to submerged wood, plastics, metals, boat hulls, and even other mussels, and can survive several days out of water. Riding the undercarriages of recreational boats, they have traveled hundreds of miles inland from the Great Lakes.

Why They’re So Destructive

As filter feeders, the mussels strip plankton and suspended organic matter from the water. Clearer water sounds appealing, but it lets rooted weeds get far more light, producing overgrowth that makes water bodies difficult to navigate. Worse, the mussels avoid toxic blue-green algae while consuming its competitors — clearing the way for the algae blooms and foul odors that follow. Native species that depend on the same food supply cannot compete.

The infrastructure damage is measured in billions of dollars. The mussels invade drinking water intakes and treatment plants — residents drawing water from Lake Michigan famously complained of foul-tasting tap water traced to mussel feces, pseudofeces, and decaying shells. Attached mussels also accelerate corrosion of iron and steel substrates like water pipes, driving up repair and replacement costs.

Golf Courses and Irrigation Systems

Irrigation systems are ideal mussel habitat: the water supplies nutrients and oxygen, while the pipes shield the colony from predators and cold weather. Nutrient-rich ponds on and around golf courses let populations explode — and the same permanganate chemistry Hepure supplies for golf course pond treatment and biological fouling control is effective against mussels and bryozoa clogging sprinkler and irrigation lines.

Treatment Methods

There are several chemical methods which can be utilized to kill mussels. Chlorine is known to kill adult mussels but may impact other species. Ozonation, potassium permanganate, and bromination of water can be effective for smaller-scale operations when there are concerns about harming other organisms.

Pipe Remediation

When pipes are already clogged, dewatering and desiccation (using warm air from compressors blown into de-watered pipes) tends to kill mussels, which then detach. In severe cases, after chemical treatment, flushing the pipes is required. Sometimes mechanical removal is the only option if pipes are too clogged.